Who is Jesus? Chapter 4 Jesus said, He was "I AM"

 

Who Is Jesus? Chapter 4 Jesus said he was "I AM"

Much of the Old Testament stories were pictures of Christ and are called types and shadows. Prior to Moses coming to deliver the Children of Israel from Egypt, Moses saw a burning bush but it did not burn up completely. As Moses drew closer a voice said, "Take off your shoes for you are standing on holy ground." Moses was intrigued, and asked, "Who are you and what do you want from me?" The voice told Moses, I am calling you to set the Israelite people free from their slavery to King Pharaoh and you will take them to the promised land.

Moses asked, "Who shall I say is sending me? What is your name?" God spoke to Moses and said, "I AM THAT I AM;” God continued speaking and said; I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name LORD I was not known to them.

In the New Testament John's gospel, there are many times Jesus says he is "I AM."

One day as He was teaching Jesus said to the religious leaders, John 8:58 “Truly, truly, I say to you, Before Abraham was, I AM.” They understood that Jesus was saying He was God, and they were furious and wanted to kill him. He was threatening their status in the Roman Government and to them Jesus was a menace and had to be silenced anyway possible.

Jesus paid no attention to their criticism or threats and he continued teaching and showing to the people who he is.

Many times Jesus likened himself to a symbol or illustration of who He is. We will view seven of these I AM's found in John's gospel.

1. I AM The Bread of Life. John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life, He who comes to me shall never hunger spiritually.

2. I AM The Door. John 10:9 “I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved.”

3. I AM the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

4. I AM the Good Shepherd. John 10:11  “The shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” 

5. I AM the Resurrection and the Life. John 11:25 Jesus offers us eternal life that begins when we invite Him into our life.

6. I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life. John 14:6 In John 6:44 Jesus declares; “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” This is how we come to God. The Holy Spirit will use an incident in your life to speak to you.

7. I AM the True Vine and you are the branches to bare fruit. John 15:1

We find Jesus as the One who satisfies (bread of life), One who gives understanding (light), One who offers salvation (door), One who dies for us (good shepherd), the resurrection and eternal life, the way, truth, and life, and the true (real, legitimate) vine. As such, Jesus fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah, as He predicted His death and resurrection, and presents Himself as the only way of salvation.

One additional "I AM" reference in John's Gospel chapter 8 offers another clear look at Christ's identity

In Johns gospel chapter 8: Jesus was teaching in the temple and the religious leaders were finding fault with his teaching,

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’? “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.  I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” (Jesus was saying their father was the devil. But they tried to defend themselves.)

They answered and said to Jesus, “Abraham is our father.”

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.”

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of sin;  we have one Father — and he is God.”

said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

Before Abraham Was, I AM.

 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, - - I AM.”

 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

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This was a clear reference to Exodus 3:14, where God revealed His name to Moses as "I AM." The reason the religious leaders wanted to kill Him was because Jesus claimed to be God.

Moses obeyed God and became the leader to take God's people to the promised land. As the Children of Israel traveled in the desert towards the promised land, God gave them bread from heaven every morning. The people called it Manna. Upon rising, they were to find small kernels that fell with the dew. The taste was like wafers and honey. It could be ground to make bread and prepared other ways as their main diet. There was NO manna on the Sabbath, so the day prior they were to gather twice as much.

Jesus referred to Himself as the bread from Heaven. Jesus said, "I AM the bread of Life."

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world …. This is the bread that came down from heaven. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jesus was speaking of his death, and how he would illustrate his death in the communion of the bread and the fruit of the vine. However this was a mystery to the disciples and they did not understand and thought his message was strange and made no sense. Others who had been following Jesus decided to leave; and then Jesus asked his friends, will you leave me also?

Today Jesus is asking if you will follow even if you don't understand everything for now. He asks that you not leave, but that you come to him and be willing to study, to search the scriptures and to learn more about him daily. He is asking you to use your free will and decide to make a choice to invite Him into your life and receive his promise which is to bless you and to always be with you no matter what.